Onboarding and Setup Timeline

Last updated 24 November 2019

This timeline is intended to help you (and us!) take you from contract to planning for next year with a minimum of mystery.

And for easy reference and delegation, the graphics needs are summarized in a separate document.

First Time Setup

There are a few things you'll only need to think through the first time around, but it wouldn't hurt to read over this checklist annually to ensure nothing major has to change.

• Access

  • Names and email addresses for the handful of people bootstrapping setup

• Cosmetics

  • If your organization has a formal web style guide, please share it with us

  • Provide header logo image (max 60px tall, transparent background png)

  • Identify header background color

• Events and registration structure

  • Share prior-year registration site and or event list with AlumnIQ

  • Discuss and document specific event nuances that may impact registration

  • Discuss reporting apexes - classes, affinities, schools, etc. that are necessary and desirable

  • AlumnIQ will make recommendations for how to structure reg based on those conversations

• Financial

  • Secure and provide credentials for your registration payment gateway

  • Secure and provide credentials for your gift payment gateway

• Registration Identity

  • Identify whether public registration is unmatched, self-match, or login required (and if so, source of auth)

• Data Warehouse

  • Don't be intimidated. There's a whole separate document for your favorite advancement services colleague to read over.

Annual Setup

The timeline below is a sample, not a ruleset. The months are indicated based on a June or October event, respectively.

8 Months Out (November | February)

• Decisions

  • Decide and document shared commitments to updates/revisions

• Events and registration structure

  • Any material programmatic changes that we should be made aware of?

6 Months Out (January | April)

• Configuration

  • AlumnIQ can roll over prior year events if desired (just ask)

  • Begin reviewing, updating, adding, and removing events

  • Begin creating packages and reviewing pricing

  • Discuss post-event budget reconcilation with AlumnIQ; we may recommend the creation of new virtual accounts to ease the work

  • Review all dates and text blurbs

  • Double check the list of recipients for the nightly gift report and decide if you want them daily or weekly (Monday)

  • Determine if you want gift officers to receive emails when their prospects register

• Preview/Testing

  • Once you have the first package prepared, you should be making use of the "Preview/Test Registration" button to review.

  • Make note of any text blurbs that require revision

• Cosmetic Edits

  • Review/update images (see the graphics needs document for a comprehensive listing)

    • header logo image (60px high, transparent background, png)

    • default hero image (1900x300 jpg, no embedded copy, focal point centered)

    • per-org override hero image (optional)

    • confirmation logo image (300x60, transparent background, png)

    • confirmation subhead image (optional)

  • The graphics specs are embedded in the admin as well.

• Copy Edits

  • Update blurbs for

    • Registration pre-open

    • Regsitration open

    • Registration post-close

    • Gift Page Intro

    • Contact Info

    • Self Mod Intro

    • Waiver text/photo release

    • Refund Policy

    • Confirmation email (one per registration group)

    • Check in/headquarters/parking

  • consult the what's where guide to locate each of these fields; some may need updates in multiple locations

• Name Tag

  • Sketch your name tag and map each field back to a registration or warehouse field. Unmapped fields warrant discussion.

Three Months + One Week Out (March | July)

• Testing

  • If necessary, request a refresh of the QA environment so you can go end-to-end with testing (usually only necessary year 1)

• Self Mod

  • Decide whether your self mod environment will be active and, if so, in add/remove or add only mode at launch.

• Users

  • Add additional user accounts for those who will be pulling reports, managing registration data, and/or handling remote check in

• Training

  • AlumnIQ to conduct (if necessary) admin training for those handling registration changes

Three Months Out (March | July)

• Data Warehouse

  • Push data set (if applicable) to AlumnIQ

• Process

  • Schedule date/time for registration opening with AlumnIQ

  • Jointly open registration

  • Set date for confirmation email resend

  • Keep tabs on lingering open balances

  • Clean up unmatched registrants

• Reporting

  • Set up and activate your initial scheduled reports for campus partners (if any)

• Printing (if applicable)

  • Prepare layout graphics and send to AlumnIQ for creation of a proof

One Month Out (May | September)

• Data Warehouse

  • Push refreshed data set (if applicable) to AlumnIQ

• Maintenance

  • Aggressively collect open balances

  • Decide whether you will keep self mod in its current operating mode or restrict changes

• Printing (if applicable)

  • Final stock layout and order quantity approval

• Planning

  • Schedule date for AlumnIQ post-event call

Two Weeks Out (May | September)

• Prepare copy for updated confirmation blurb to ride along with conf resend

  • this could include attire/weather notes and other timely FYI notes

Week Of Event

• Data Warehouse

  • Push final refreshed data set (if applicable) to AlumnIQ

• Communications

  • AlumnIQ can resend your confirmation email if desired

• Printing (if applicable)

  • AlumnIQ will share printed sample name tags

During your event

• Monitor remote check in use

• Adjust central check in staffing based on overall check in statistics

Week After

• Ensure self mod is closed

• Clean up missed check ins

• Settle all open balances (including refunds)

• Notify AlumnIQ when the books are 'cloed'

Month After

• Hold recap/debrief call to capture notes for next year